Royal Caribbean's biggest ship family just got bigger. The cruise line has started physical construction on a fifth Icon-class vessel, marked with a traditional keel-laying ceremony at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland. During the event, the first major block of steel was lowered into the dry dock, with a layer of freshly minted coins tucked underneath for good luck — a nod to an old maritime custom. The keel is the structural backbone running along the bottom of the hull, so this is the moment a ship officially starts to exist.
The as-yet-unnamed ship is scheduled to launch in 2028. Details are thin for now, but Royal Caribbean's Icon class has a clear formula: enormous waterparks, a long list of dining options and full-scale West End-style productions. If the earlier ships are anything to go by, expect themed neighbourhoods rather than one generic deck — the existing trio all feature a leafy Central Park area and Surfside, a zone aimed squarely at families with young kids.
There's more in the pipeline right behind it. The fourth ship in the class, Hero of the Seas, was floated out at the same shipyard last week ahead of a 2027 debut. It will introduce the Orleans Parish Supper Club, the first funnel-based raft slide at sea, and a three-deck Ultimate Family Treehouse suite. Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean has already ordered a sixth and seventh Icon-class ship for delivery in 2029 and 2030, under a long-term agreement with Meyer Turku that keeps options open for new builds all the way to 2036.
The three ships already sailing — Icon of the Seas, Star of the Seas and Legend of the Seas — currently rank as the largest cruise ships in the world, distinguished by towering waterslides and their district-style layout.
So why should a traveller care? Because this tells you where mainstream cruising is heading over the next decade: bigger ships, more onboard entertainment and resort-style amenities that compete with theme parks. If you like the idea of a holiday where the ship is the destination, an Icon-class sailing should be on your radar — though book early, because the launch sailings of each new ship in this series tend to sell out fast. If you'd rather avoid the crowds and premium prices of a brand-new vessel, the existing three ships already deliver the full Icon experience today.